Sink and Swim
I'd long given up on escaping this sea of misery trying to drown me. I've never gotten me out. I don't have high hopes either. Like they say, the higher you are, the harder you fall. That goes for hope too.
A beautiful piano song flowed through the window, attracting my attention like a moth to a light. Hatsune Mikuo was playing the piano again. When the song finished, I heard clapping. Curious, I peered through the window, astonished to see two girls inside the room with him. Nagano Gumi and Akita Neru. They were beaming at him. When they left, he didn't turn towards the window and instead sat there for a little while before sighing in mock exasperation.
"Come on, I know you're there. Why don't you say something?" For the first time, someone has noticed my presence. Even at my violin recitals, no one has paid much notice to me, the girl drowning in a black sea of grief. Before I realized it, a hand descended onto my head, startling me. He would touch me? When I looked up to meet his eyes, I could see a twinkle of amusement, and he grinned.
"Hey. Hagane Miku, right?" My eyes widened.
"Y-you know my name?" He rolled his eyes and winked at me.
"Of course. I never forget a beautiful girl's name." Heat flooded my cheeks, causing him to laugh and poke my cheek. "To-ma-to~" I swatted at his hand, still blushing. When he continued to laugh, I turned on my heel, escaping from this unfamiliar situation. He yelled out after me.
"See you in class, Miku!" I slowed down as I got farther away from him. Why? I've been living fine without anyone noticing me. Now suddenly someone has noticed me, but I don't know how to deal with such a situation. What should I say? What should I do? As promised, I saw him in homeroom. He was laughing and talking with his friends, Shion Kaito and Kagamine Len. When I walked in, he turned to me and waved me over.
"Come over here, Miku!" I wanted to obey, but I hesitated. "Come on! We don't bite! At least most of us don't..." Kaito hit his arm.
"I heard that, leek boy!" Mikuo simply laughed and continued to wave me over enthusiastically. He grinned as he introduced me to his friends.
"Hagane Miku, meet beast boy and banana boy." Both of them glared at Mikuo, who gave a nervous laugh. "Er... I mean Shion Kaito and Kagamine Len... Pleasedon'tkillme!" He yelped as Kaito began chasing him all over the classroom. Len sighed.
"Don't bother with them. If Mikuo isn't messing with Kaito, then Kaito's playing pranks on Mikuo. I'm usually the one who has to make them stop. Not a fun job, mind you." he added, pointing a finger at Kaito, who was now... trying to stab Mikuo with a pen? I giggled. Mikuo looked up at me, smiling in surprise.
"See? You look better with a smile on your face." Kaito paused for a moment and scoffed.
"Flirt." Mikuo pouted, still trying to keep his grip on Kaito's left hand, which still held a dangerously sharp pen.
"Am not!" Len snickered.
"Actually, you kind of are..." Mikuo glared at him, momentarily forgetting the threat of a pen very near his face.
"Len! Are you betraying me?" he whined. Len shook his head.
"No, I was never on your side in the first place." he pointed out. I giggled again as Mikuo began to shout dramatically for someone to 'save him from the great blue beast'. This caused Kaito to grab a ruler to try to impale Mikuo. For the second time in as many minutes, I giggled. Maybe I've found someone who just might be able to pull me out from under the waves.
Innumerable days after I met Mikuo and his friends, I've begun to come close to the shallows. I was introduced to countless people I had seen before, but never talked to. Kagamine Rin, Len's twin sister (she insisted that she was older, though Len kept pointing out that they were twins). Yowane Haku, a quiet girl who really prefered keeping to herself rather than socializing. Nagano Lily and Gumi, cousins that didn't seem to like each other much, but I did notice that they still look out for one another. Kamui Gakupo and Megurine Luka, the two most respected students in school, for their looks, academic skills, and sports skills. Although I was beginning to emerge from the sea, Mikuo seemed to be sinking as I start to swim upwards. One day, I could no longer tolerate his uncharacteristically depressed persona. I went with the Kagamine twins over to his house. Len pushed the doorbell. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Mikuo opened the door.
"What is it?" he asked dully. Len rolled his eyes and glared at his friend.
"Dummy. You obviously haven't been yourself recently, and we have to check on you." he said matter-of-factly.
"We're worried about you." Rin added. I looked straight into Mikuo's eyes.
"Mikuo..." When he met my eyes, I was surprised to see a soft look there, but he looked away quickly, sighing.
"If that's all you came to my house for, rest assured. I'm fine." With that, he shut the door. Len sighed in exasperation.
"He's drowning in self misery." I winced.
"He's depressed." I corrected. I didn't want to admit that he was beginning to sink. Rin turned to me, looking me straight in the eye.
"Miku, you have to talk to him." I started in surprise.
"M-me? Why me?" She sighed, as if explaining was very tedious.
"Because Mikuo is different around you. He's more open, smiles more. Kaito, Len, and I have known him long enough to know that he is hiding behind a mask of cheerfulness. Something's always been sad about his smiles. But all three of us have already noticed. Miku, when he smiles at you, his smiles are completely genuine. You're the only one who'll get through to him." She gave me puppy eyes. "Please! You have to at least try!" I blanched. Sure, I wanted to see him better, but do I really have to be the one talking to him? When I voice my thoughts to Rin and Len, they looked at each other, having an eye conversation.
"No, it has to be you." they chimed together. I sighed.
"F-fine... I'll at least try to bring him around, alright?" They both gave me identical, warm smiles.
"Thank you so much! For now, Len and I have something important to do." Len looked confused.
"We do?" She nodded emphatically.
"Yes. You know, that." His eyes brightened in comprehension.
"Oh. Oh! Right we do have something to do!" I hear Rin mutter something that sounded like "honestly", but then again, I could be wrong. They left, and I stood there, in front of Mikuo's house. When I rang the doorbell, Mikuo came faster this time.
"I told you I'm-" He stopped. "Oh... Miku? Why are you still here? And alone I might add." he said under his breath, but I heard him. I smiled sheepishly.
"Len and Rin had something to do. Um..." He glanced at me, waiting for me to continue. "C-can I come in, Mikuo?" I asked shyly. He paused, then opened the door wider, making a vague gesture for me to come in. I sat down on the couch, back straight, hands fisted into my turquoise skirt. Mikuo came back with one hand in his pocket, and tea in the other. He placed the tea down in front of me, and sat down beside me, slouching a bit. I relaxed my posture as I sipped the tea, a light pink blush dusting my cheeks. He waited until I had taken another sip.
"What are you doing here?" I nearly spilled the tea in my nervousness.
"Um... Well... We- I was worried about you. Mikuo, you haven't been yourself these days. Has something happened?" He sighed.
"If I told you, you probably won't believe me." My eyes had a steely gaze to them.
"Try me." I said coolly. He gave me a look that said "are you sure?", then sighed once more.
"You asked for it." He looked up towards the ceiling. "Where to begin...? Well, I think you're the only one that doesn't know this, but my parents disowned me when I was about five years old. They couldn't make enough money to feed an extra mouth. So instead, they put me up for adoption. A nice family adopted me, but they always leave me alone in this house, since they already have an older son that would succeed their company anyway. Why get another child you ask? To be their poster boy. Have you noticed? Miku, I'm in a magazine almost all of the time. I'm supposed to be advertising for their company. Well, I got a call from my foster parents recently, and they told me that I could do what I wanted in this house, since they'd already gained the popularity that they were aiming for. Their version of a reward, I guess." He chuckled darkly.
"After that phone call, I continued to work, since they 'need' the publicity, but did they ever think to call me? Write me a letter at least, to tell me they still think of me as a son, even if I'm adopted? No. Not even once!" He slammed a fist on the coffee table, making me jump. Immediately he apologized. "Sorry. I get a little touchy when I think about what my so-called foster parents treat me as- a plaything." I shook my head.
"People recognize you, Mikuo. They know who you are, and they like you. Me? No one even notices I'm here. You were always the only one. You made me appear before their eyes. I was a nobody, until you came along and made this nobody swim for the light above the waves." He seemed slightly confused by the 'light above the waves' part. I sighed. "I've always been sinking deeper and deeper into an ocean of grief. You know, you were the first one I have ever felt a need to see so badly... Mikuo, you were like a ray of light, flashing past me in a sea of pitch black darkness. I wanted so badly to reach you, to interact with you like i do so easily now. But... I was scared." I laughed bitterly, not noticing the expression on Mikuo's face. Now that I've started... I just can't stop anymore.
"Did you know I used to have a little crush on you? You were my sun, so warm and bright." I gulped. No backing out now. I may very well regret what I'm about to do. "Before long, I met you at the piano room, remember? And not long after, that crush changed..." His eyes widened. He gave me a sad smile.
"Yeah it probably changed to-"
"Love." I said quietly. He seemed taken aback, and against my will, I giggled. "Surprised? You probably thought I would straight out hate you, huh? No, I watched how you talked so casually with your friends, with me, and how you're always there to support me. I don't know when it started, but eventually I just... fell in love with you. To me, it doesn't matter if you're bright or depressed. You're... you. But if you alone are falling, sinking deeper into an ocean of regret and misery..." I smiled at him.
"I swear on my life, Hatsune Mikuo. I will always sink down with you. I will always be there to help you swim back to the surface, where you belong. Mikuo... I love you." He stood still. I felt my eyes prickle with unshed tears. He probably thinks I'm stupid now, huh? I blinked back tears. Suddenly, Mikuo wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips against mine. He kissed me softly and gently. It was the most incredible feeling ever. My cheeks flooded with heat, and I could feel a tingle spread from my lips to the rest of my body. Slowly and hesitantly, I began to kiss him back. When we finally parted, I saw his face, and was slightly surprised to find he was blushing too, and immensely happy that a spark of happiness had returned to his eyes.
"M-me too..." he whispered. I blinked in surprise, my cheeks still burning red.
"H-huh?" He turned to me, his expression somehow shy, happy, and somewhat fierce.
"I said I feel that way too! I wasn't sure if you returned my feelings, but... Hagane Miku, I love you." I had no idea my cheeks could burn any hotter, but they did.
"M-Mikuo..." He gave me a shy smile.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked, still smiling at me adorably. I tackled him in a hug.
"Yes, of course!" He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around my waist, both of us on the floor because I tackled him a bit too hard in my excitement. Whoops, I guess? But now... I've finally gotten out of this black sea, and can now take off into the sky, with the one who has captured my heart!